The Sentinels won their sixth consecutive title after Sault Ste. Marie was runner-up with 103 points and Houghton third with 78, followed by Kingsford with 71 and Gladstone 50.

Negaunee was sixth with 40, while Escanaba had 26, Menominee 25, Westwood and Manistique 6 each, and Calumet 5.

University of Minnesota-Duluth football recruit Ford Richardson provided Marquette with victories in the 300-meter hurdles in a season-best 40.99 seconds and the 400 dash in 50.84, while also placing second in the 100 in 11.20.

Richardson, who will play quarterback for the Bulldogs this fall, also won the 300 hurdles in a school-record 40.15 seconds a year ago.

Marquette’s Lucas Ballard crosses the finish line to win the Division 1 boys’ 800-meter run at the MHSAA Upper Peninsula Finals held Saturday in Kingsford. (Cara Kamps photo)

“I’m pretty happy with that,” he said. “Going back to back feels real good. My starts went well today.

“I’ve been working out since basketball. I’m excited about playing college football this fall.”

The Sentinels continued to show their strength in the distances, led by junior Luke Ballard, who won the 800 in 2:02.64 and 1,600 in 4:24.26.

Senior teammate Rorik Holmquist was runner-up in the 800 in a personal-best 2:04.14, the 1,600 in 4:25.75 and the 3,200 in 9:41.97.

“My time was not as good in the 3,200 as I hoped, but I’m happy about my 800 and 1,600,” Ballard said. “The difference in the 1,600 was definitely my kick. Once I got around the last turn, I could open it up pretty easily.

“It’s always good to see the finish line.”

Marquette senior Jacob Norman added a victory in the 110 hurdles in 16.28 seconds, while the Sentinels also won the 3,200 relay in 8:18.57 with William Lindsay, Jack Grant, Beepsee Teeple and Welly Fillmore.

Soo senior Gabe Litzner, an Oakland University recruit, set a meet record in the 3,200 in 9:33.81, which was slightly more than two seconds faster than his previous record from two years ago.

Litzner, however, ran his personal record earlier this spring at Shepherd, when he was clocked in 9:06.22.

“I think I’m a little sick today, but I wanted to come here and win one anyway,” he said. “I’m definitely run down. I had been doing races for five months indoors.

“I’m just happy to bounce back and get a win. I’ve been getting ahead of myself and thinking more about college than high school. Marquette has a good program, and I’m glad they’re here to push me.”

Houghton junior Sam Roth claimed the 100 in 11.10 seconds and 200 in a school-record 22.53.

“I’m just excited because the work I put in has paid off,” Roth said. “My start in the 100 was pretty bad, but I caught up. I’m just glad I could get it done.

“I just hope there’s good competition next year because that pushes you a lot. I’m just happy everything worked out.”

The Gremlins’ Michael Solena captured the shot put with a heave of 50 feet, 1¼ inches, and the discus with 139-9.

Gladstone junior Andrew Karl soared to victory at 14 feet in the pole vault and Escanaba sophomore Andrew Hamlin won high jump by clearing 6-2.

Kingsford junior Gaige Sorenson took the long jump with 21-5, while the Soo won the 400, 800 and 1,600 relays.

From other area teams, the highest place in a single event was Negaunee’s Cole Prusi finishing runner-up in the long jump with a leap of 19-10.

Teammate Derek McEachern was third in the 400, Cole Pekrul third in the 110 hurdles and Ethan Gauthier third in the discus, with teammate Nash Barabe fourth in the discus, too.

For Westwood, Louis Salmi tied for third in the pole vault while Karter Scherer was sixth in the 300 hurdles, and from Manistique, Sam Moose was third in the shot put and eighth in the discus.

John Vrancic is a sports writer affiliated with the Daily Press of Escanaba who was reporting for the Michigan High School Athletic Association website, mhsaa.com.